苏子降气汤

Name

Decoction of Perilla Seed for Descending Qi

Source

The book Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang

Ingredients

  • Su Zi (Fructus Perillae) 9 g,
  • Ban Xia (Rhizoma Pinelliae) 9 g,
  • Dang Gui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis) 6 g,
  • Hou Po (Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis) 6 g,
  • Qian Hu (Radix Peucedani) 6 g,
  • Zhi Gan Cao (Radix Glycyrrhizae Preparata) 6 g,
  • Rou Gui (Cortex Cinnamomi) 3 g,
  • Sheng Jiang (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens) 2 pieces,
  • Da Zao (Fructus Jujubae) 1 dates,
  • Su Ye (Folium Perillae) 2 g.

Explanation

Su Zi: The principal drug, descending Qi, dissolving phlegm, arresting cough and relieving dyspnea.

Ban Xia, Hou Po and Qian Hu: Arresting cough and relieving dyspnea.

Rou Gui: Warming the kidney to enhance its function of receiving air.

Dang Gui: Nourishing blood, tonifying the liver, relieving cough and shortness of breath.

Sheng Jiang and Su Ye: Dispelling pathogenic cold and facilitating the flow of the lung-Qi.

Gan Cao and Da Zao: Regulating the function of the middle-Jiao, tempering the actions of all the other ingredients.

Effect

Checking the upward adverse flow of the lung-Qi to relieve dyspnea, removing phlegm and arresting cough.

Indications

Syndrome due to accumulation of phlegm as well as excessiveness in the upper and insufficiency in the lower, marked by dyspneic cough, shortness of breath, fullness and distention in the chest and epigastric region, or lumbago and weakness of the feet, or swelling of the limbs, pale tongue with whitish slippery coating, and deep pulse; including such diseases with the above symptoms as bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, and pulmonary heart disease.

Administration

Decocted in water for oral dose to be taken twice.